Hardliners win deal

Israel’s designated prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced yesterday a coalition deal that would give a hardline, pro-settler party control over a number of key government ministries and a senior role in overseeing the construction of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. The agreement with the Religious Zionism party marked an important breakthrough for Netanyahu as he tried to cobble together a government following November elections. But it also could set the stage for conflict with key allies, including the United States.